Dear friends,
Hard to imagine it is already the 5th Sunday of Lent, when we cover the Cross and the images in the sanctuary. This signals the Passion of our Lord Jesus is at hand. The scripture readings today invite us to see how God is doing something new in the person of his only son Jesus Christ, as he says to the woman and man caught in the very act of committing adultery: “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” (John 8:11). Such is the mercy of God revealed to us in Jesus that St. Paul says: “I consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8). As the season of Lent is almost drawing to a close, let us examine our original intent of drawing closer to Christ. How much do you really know Christ at this time in your life? Can you be like St. Paul and say: “For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” (Philippians 3:8).
I am very happy to offer our congratulations to Artie and Barbara Hudson, the recipients of the Family of the Month Award for March 2022. They have been phenomenal parishioners who were and still are involved in so many high-profile ministries in the parish. I thank them for their dedication and commitment to our parish.
I am very grateful to Linda Morrisson and her lovely and cheerful team of facilitators who invested a lot of time to plan and execute the highly spirit-filled Synodal Listening Sessions. I am so proud to say we have some very dedicated parishioners who are so very knowledgeable and are willing to put their time, talent and treasure at the service of our community. I wanted this exercise to be an entirely lay faithful led activity and I am so very grateful to them for taking on this responsibility. I thank all those who responded to the invitation to attend the listening session. I am sure all those who came not only benefitted from the sharing of others but also have been sources of inspiration to others. This is the whole of point of the synod. We journey together as pilgrims seeking to listen to the Spirit’s promptings and help sustain one another along the way. That is why the Synod is built precisely on the themes of Communion, Participation, and Mission.
The Holy Spirit has been at work fanning into flames our deeply embedded faith. May our voices join with the rest of the human community to give joyful praise to our God.
I want to offer a warm, hearty, and loving welcome to Fr. Vincent Nguyen, C.S.C. May your stay with the community of St. John the Evangelist help flourish our souls and our journey together to the Lord.
Rất hân hạnh được đón tiếp Cha! (Hearty Welcome Father).
Have a Blessed Day! With love, Fr. John